1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle capable of transmitting a driving force of an engine to front wheels through a front differential and to rear wheels through a rear differential. The present invention more specifically relates to a vehicle including a drive mode switch that switches the states of the front differential and the rear differential.
2. Description of the Background Art
Differentials transmit the driving force of an engine to the left and right wheels of the vehicle. Some vehicles include a differential switching mechanism used to switch the transmission states of the differentials. Such a vehicle can travel in a plurality of drive modes by switching the transmission states of the differentials. The driver can switch the drive mode by operating the selecting switch.
Such a vehicle is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,976,553 as having first to third drive modes.
In the first drive mode, the driving force of the engine is transmitted to the left and right front wheels while the rotation speed difference between the left and right front wheels is eliminated through adjustment. In the first drive mode, the driving force of the engine is transmitted to the left and right rear wheels so that the left and right rear wheels rotate approximately at the same rotation speed.
In the second drive mode, the driving force of the engine is transmitted only to the rear wheels. In the second drive mode, the driving force of the engine is transmitted to the left and right rear wheels so that the left and right rear wheels rotate approximately at the same rotation speed.
In the third drive mode, the driving force of the engine is transmitted only to the rear wheels. In the third drive mode, the driving force of the engine is transmitted to the left and right rear wheels while the rotation speed difference between the left and right rear wheels is eliminated through adjustment.